Came to the conclusion that my last two blog entries were rather serious, heavy-duty stuff. So this time’s is going to be a fun thing…actually fun for me. Have done something rather narcissistic, after having been inspired by my dear friend Ramneek. One of his blog entries was where he had made a list of 100 things about himself. Extremely enthused with the idea, I decided to write one too, but have restricted myself to 50.

I know it’s very self-centered to embark on something like this, but what the hell! It’s my blog and it’s a free country, so here goes:

1. Among my favorite music videos are Aerosmith’s Crazy, Bon Jovi’s Blaze of Glory and It’s My Life, and Janet Jackson’s one in which she is traveling all over the world – cannot remember the name .
2. I was born in Calcutta. But have lived all my life in Delhi, and am passionate about this city. It is sad that so few of Delhi’s residents refuse to take ownership of it.
3. However, I think Chandigarh is the nicest city to live in.
4. Adore mobile phones. I think they are the single most important invention of the last century. 5. Hate religious or regional fanaticism. It bothers me when people generalize about a community or people based on where they come from.
6. I am glad my friends got me introduced to Orkut.
7. Am a very proud Stephanian.
8. My closest friend is someone I have been friends with since I was five years old.
9. I love FRIENDS. Both the sitcom and my own.
10. Favorite icecream is Nirula’s Hot Chocolate Fudge.

11. People who make animation movies are geniuses.
12. I find men with great voices simply irresistible.
13. Hate it when someone gives me unsolicited gyan.
14. Would love to have my own publishing house one day.
15. And travel all over the world.
16. And to every part of India.
17. I have to get published at least once in my lifetime.
18. I am obsessively, passionately in love with the color red.
19. Till last year I knew I was a Cancerian. Have now learnt that I am on the Cancer-Leo cusp. Am heartbroken. This is like being neither here nor there.
20. My favorite fictional character is Rhett Butler. He is yummy!

21. I wish I had done one more semester of Persian at JNU.
22. Want to learn pottery and calligraphy.
23. And start investing in art.
24. The one thriller that literally put me to sleep is “The Rule of Four”.
Please note, it’s different from “The Sign of Four”.
25. I try never to tell lies. The operative word here is ‘try’.
26. But when I do, it’s fairly convincing.
27. Hate those Saturdays when I don’t have any plans.
28. I think nothing tells you more about a person than the friends s/he has.
29. One of my childhood fantasies has been to go on space travel.
30. And on an underwater expedition.

31. I just have to visit all the museums in Europe.
32. And also research on why men are so difficult to understand.
33. I find black and white photographs magical.
34. Treasure snail mail.
35. Love people who can make me laugh.
36. Wish money was always on my side.
37. And so was time.
38. Cherish the fact that I have friends belonging to such diverse age groups and interests.
39. Love malls.
40. Love watching rains. The wilder the sky, the better.

41. I don’t like my name much. It’s way too cumbersome. If I ever have children, will probably name them A and B.
42. My favorite poem is ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling. Followed closely by Vikram Seth’s ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’.
43. During summers, I become an insomniac about thrice every week.
44. I sincerely want to believe in “What goes around, comes around”.
45. Cannot suffer fools.
46. My first book will have to be dedicated to the friend I affectionately call “Bitch and a Half”. Incidentally, that’s the name she chose for me first.
47. I have had a book dedicated to me. One of my grandfather’s. It’s a good feeling.
48. Life is beautiful. It really is.
49. My college years were the best years of my life. Followed closely by the years I spent in Chandigarh.
50. Isn’t there just any way in which I can edit the next Harry Potter?

My first entry on blogger.

Let me start by penning (typing) my response to a question a friend asked today.
What does patriotism mean to me? And to others of this generation?
Can there be a straightjacketed uniform answer?

First of all, patriotism to me means being proud of the strangest or simplest things Indian. This could be the latest AirTel ad ("wow! we are creative geniuses"!) or a visit to the Cottage Emporium in Connaught Place (our craftsmen produce such beautiful things) or a trip to Red Fort (takes my breath away everytime I see it) or when I am greedily tucking in to gajar ka halwa or chingrir malaikari (and in the process saluting our culinary prowess). Alternately, it could mean being proud of the national anthem and how rich and sonorous it sounds when a huge gathering is singing it in one breath, or when I am reading some obscure event in history and marvelling at our "never-say-die" attitude. Patriotism, I think, can therefore mean every delightful, small and big thing we call Indian, things we can be proud of.

To me, however, it also means not being any of the following. Sadly, these are traits that I think are increasing at an alarming rate among us:
1. Not knowing what our national holidays are. I once met a young, beautiful, on-the-surface-smart twenty-something who laughingly said, "God! National holidays?! I have no idea which one is which. Probably just excuses for taking holidays and not working."
2. Littering. Again, smart, sophisticated men and women who have no qualms in driving snazzy cars and throwing things out of those snazzy windows.
3. Not respecting the national flag, not knowing the national anthem. I have actually met people who've insisted that saare jahan se achha is the anthem and there really is no point in standing up for the anthem. You can be lounging around in your bathrobe and humming jana gana mana. No!